INDIANOLA—Freshman right fielder
Franie Burnett (Ankeny, Centennial HS) may be among the fastest Central College softball players but she's also carrying the biggest bat as she pounded out four hits, including a grand slam, to help a shorthanded and game-weary Central College softball team preserve an American Rivers doubleheader sweep at Simpson College Wednesday.
After getting rocked 14-5 in the six-inning opener, the Dutch (7-6 overall, 5-4 conference) roared back with an 8-5 victory in the nightcap as their 11-game, eight-day endurance test continued. Competing for the fourth straight day, Central was without all-conference shortstop
Daria Parchert (senior, Illinois City, Ill., Rockridge HS) who was injured Tuesday evening at Coe College, but did regain the services of third baseman
Paige Roehlk (senior, Davenport, West HS). That allowed Central to slide
Carson Fisk (sophomore, Searsboro, Lynnville-Sully HS) to shortstop, after earlier getting inserted into the lineup as Roehlk's replacement.
"After losing the first game the way they did, the second game was just a tremendous response by the players," coach
George Wares said.
Burnett, Central's top base stealer with seven, belted a home run for the second day in a row, as the Dutch bolted to a 7-0 lead after two innings of the nightcap. She was 3-for-3 in the opener, then knocked in five runs in the second game and upped her batting average to a team-high .444.
"She had that power in high school," Wares said. "She doesn't swing for the fences but she's more than capable. She's got such quick hands. She's just a complete player."
Sydni Huisman (sophomore, Treynor) who threw the first two innings of the opener and has shouldered a heavy load all week, came back to throw 5.0 innings in the second game, yielding three runs on eight hits with three walks and four strikeouts, improving to 6-4.
Morgan Schaben (freshman, Portsmouth, Harlan HS) threw 1.1 innings, giving up two runs and freshman
Emma Neu (Rochelle Park, N.J., Hackensack HS) threw 0.2 innings, entering in the bottom of the sixth inning with the tying run at the plate before ending the threat with a strikeout.
"That was big," Wares said. "Down the road, she could be a pretty solid pitcher for us."
Huisman returned to get the final two outs in the seventh inning.
A seven-run Simpson third inning was Central's undoing in the opener, as the Dutch surrendered a grand slam for the second straight day. Central pitchers Huisman, Schaben, Neu and
Skylar Sadler (sophomore, Lisbon) were tagged for 16 hits and Schaben absorbed the loss, giving up four runs on four hits in dropping to 1-2.
"They're giving everything they've got," said Wares, who likes the potential of all four.
First baseman
Megan Stuhr (Sigourney) and pinch-hitter
Megan Doty (sophomore, Grinnell) each belted their first collegiate homers. Stuhr and second baseman
Lauren Birt (junior, Ankeny, Centennial HS) each had two hits.
Birt came up big defensively as well, snagging a deflected ground ball and firing to first base in time to get the Dutch out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning.
"That was a huge play," Wares said. "Lauren's a really good second baseman and, at the time, it seemed like a game-saving type of play."
But Wares said Central's effort is shining through one of the most demanding weeks of his 37 seasons.
"The big headline is what our players are going through," he said. "They're handling it but it's a lot to ask. I'm not blaming anyone, it's no one's fault, but it's a grind. And then losing Daria (Parchert), who is the leader of the infield, is difficult and not just from a physical standpoint. It has an emotional impact as well."
The eight-day extravaganza rolls on Thursday as Central is back at Simpson for a 5 p.m. game.
"We're trying to keep our heads above water," Wares said. "We need to forget about the soreness and find a way to win when we're not at our best."
